Acid reducing medications increase risk of serious COVID-19 cases
Several recent studies have shown that commonly used medicines called Protein Pump Inhibitors (PPI’s) can seriously increase the risk from COVID-19 infections. These medicines can be obtained over the counter so are not necessarily monitored by a physician. PPI’s include Prilosec (omeprazole), Protonix (pantoprazole), Prevacid (lansoprazole) and others. Note they all end in -prazole so you can check to see if you are taking one of these.
The studies have shown that these medicines increase the risk of serious COVID-19 infections by two to three times, depending on dosing. Safer acid reducing drugs appear to be Pepcid (famotidine) and Tagamet (cimetidine). But if you have serious stomach acid problems, it is best to check with your doctor before making changes.
David Anderson, MD
Healdsburg
Trail of treats
Thank you to our Healdsburg community for supporting the Halloween Trail of Treats in collaboration with the city of Healdsburg Community Services and Parks & Rec crew. It was a wonderful two hours on Halloween afternoon as we handed out over 600 bags of treats to costumed families in their cars.
Special thanks to:
• Dave Jahns, Mark Themig and city of Healdsburg staff for an amazing decorating job and bagging candy
• Healdsburg Fire Department
• Corazón, Erica, Glaydon and Marcy
• Amy’s Wicked Slush
• Big John’s, Kim Lloyd, owner and store manager Steven Bardessono
• Safeway, Steve Telucci, manager
• Lola’s, Fernando Reyes, manager
• CVS
• The residents of Healdsburg who donated candy and decorated trunks
• And our own Jay Beckwith and Rotary Club of Healdsburg Sunrise members.
Nancy Palumbo
President, Rotary Club of Healdsburg Sunrise
Why can’t Healdsburg be dog friendly?
As a 39-year resident of Healdsburg, I can speak to its many qualities.
It’s a great place to raise kids, a fantastic town square that is high quality for both visiting tourists and residents alike. A town that is wonderful for dinning out visiting the many wineries that surround in natural beauty. A town that has been much of what I hoped for when I moved here 39 years ago.
Our city had invested a lot of money in the infrastructure and design of downtown, a new round a bout, new auto parking design, new sitting benches and upgrades to the plaza … all great additions, but…
Having two young high-energy dogs has its advantages. And challenges, one of which is not having a place locally to take them and let them run. As much as I appreciate the local dog park, it’s not really conducive for getting a good long run in. It’s over crowded much of the time, and owners don’t always pay attention to the interaction going on with their dogs.
How about creating or adapting a existing open space, even with limited hours, to let dogs run off leash, chase balls, Frisbees or just jog with their owners…??
Other towns have done it (Carmel by the Sea and Bend, Oregon to name a couple).
We spend a lot of time in those two communities with our best friends and much could be learned by the way they have adopted large off-leash areas.
One area that could be adapted is the large field on the north side of town that is largely unused, and even post COVID-19 when normal activities resume, designated time slots could be implemented. Or possibly there are other areas that could be looked at?
it may not be a “money producer,” but it would make a lot of local dogs and their responsible local owners very happy.
Casey Caldwell
Healdsburg
Re-assess (abandon?) that roundabout couplet
The US Highway 101/Dry Creek Road intersection is a vehicle exchange. The purpose of the exchange is for allowing cars and trucks to exit the highway or enter the highway to and from Dry Creek Road. Dry Creek Road is for vehicles traveling each direction on that road. It was a significant improvement when the stop signs and turn lanes were added.
The article in the Oct. 15, The Healdsburg Tribune was interesting One element from the article, and this is important: “… to help reduce traffic and improve traffic flow and pedestrian and bicycle access.”
Reduce traffic. Congestion will occur at any intersection when traffic is heavy. The “couplet” will not reduce traffic; we all know that. When heavy traffic, exercise prudence and patience and courtesy.
Improve traffic flow. A roundabout within city streets is a good example of improving traffic flow. At that highway intersection, it would not improve flow but may well add confusion and risk; and, frankly, would slow movement of vehicles.
Pedestrian access. A highway/road vehicle exchange is not for pedestrians. Pedestrians should not be allowed anywhere near any such highway/road exchange. Please give that some genuine thought.
Bicycle access. As a former cyclist biking many miles in Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley and adjacent areas in the 1980s, I never biked Dry Creek Road under Highway 101. Even then! There are incredible areas to bike without being a hindrance to strategic vehicle areas. If you must (operative word) bike into or out of Healdsburg, there are other safer and logical routes to do that.
Cost. I am sort of a financial guy. In the article you see numbers for traffic signals, two roundabouts; further you read “… estimates only include …” and “… plus design work …” Projected estimates like $5.25 million and $7.15 million is disconcerting.
To the Healdsburg City Council: abort this “couplet” idea. Put your energy and time to more necessary areas. Apply the “need versus want” approach. There are many other needs for our community: Affordable housing, education resources, health services and more.
Gene Vella
Healdsburg
